edlbblute



(No Model.) 7

L. S. 'EDLEB'L'U'TE. Thill Coupling.

No. 234,760. Patented Nov. 23, I880.

INVENTOR: J J (5% ATTORNEYS.

WITNESSES:

MPEYERS. PNOTO-LITMOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON n c LUCIUS S. EDLEBLUTE, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO 0. E. WALKER, OF SAME PLACE.

THlLL-COUPLlNG. 0

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 234,760, dated November 23, 1880.

Application filed April 10, 1880.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LUCIUS S. EDLEBLUTE, of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Vehicle Shifting-Shackles; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the same.

The invention is an improvement in the class of thill-couplings or shackles in which the thill-irons are adapted to be detached from the axle-clips when raised to a vertical position.

The object of my invention is to provide a coupling of this class which shall be simple and comparatively inexpensive in construc tion, in which provision shall be made for taking up the wear and preventing rattling, and whose parts may be easily and quickly detached.

The construction and arrangement of parts are as hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View. Fig. 2 is an elevation, showing the locking side of the clip. Fig. 3 is a reverse view of Fig. 2, showing the thill-iron in position for detachment. Fig. 4 is a detail, showing the rubber cushion. Fig. 5 is a detail in section, showing the cushion-recess.

The end of the shaft is provided with a boss,

A, welded on its irons, the end of which isformed with an elliptical or swelled extension, B, reduced to one-half the thickness of the boss to leave a rounded shoulder, G, to form an abutment for the rounded end of the ear of the clip.

The clip D is formed of the U-shaped body, that may be secured to the axle in a wellknown manner, and has a projecting ear, D, rounded upon its end to snugly fit into the rounded socket of the shoulder O. The shoulder 0 has a hole drilled in its face to receive a rubber cushion, 0, formed of a section of asolid cylindrical block, so that when the shackle is in position the meeting edges of the shoulder 0 and ear D will be cushioned to prevent rattling and to hold the parts solidly together when in use. The swelled extension B of the boss has a bolt, E, projecting from the face above the shoulder O, and has secured to its end a lug, e, that radiates or projects laterally (No model.)

from it. The projecting ear D ofthe clip is perforated to snugly fit the rounded portion or shank of the bolt E, and is slotted radially at (7, upon the side nearest the clip plate, to exactly lit and receive the lug e upon the key bolt E, so that the bolt may be inserted and a portion passed entirely through the ear when it is presented in the right position, but will, when inserted, pass the edges of the slot by a slight movement and bear against the outer face of the ear D and effectually prevent the separation of the parts.

In order to take the lateral strain off of the lug e of the key-bolt a flange, F, projects from the face of the clip-plate parallel with the ear D a suitable distance to bear against the end of the swelled extension Bof the boss and hold its face closely against the face of the lug when the boss and shafts arein a horizontal position. Between the flange F and the ear D a rectangular socket or depressed bed, Gr, is formed to receive a corresponding portion of a rubber cushion-block, H. The face of the block H is concave to snugly fit the rounded end of the boss-extension B, and has projecting ears h k, that project outside its main portion or body to form an extended bearing-surface, and also afford means for attaching a metal bearin g and covering plate, I, formed of sheet metal, with its ends turned under the projecting cars it h,- to hold it closely to the rubber block and protect the face of the block against the friction and consequent wear from the boss-extension 'B. The cushion H forms a double cushion to the shackle-connections and aifords greatly-increased security against rattling and wearingaway of the parts. The metal facing to the rubber cushion H will prevent it from being cut and ground away by the friction of the elongated portion of the boss B without impairing the elasticity of the cushion.

When the shaft is in a horizontal position the extreme portion B of the elongated end of the boss B will pass below the flange F and securely hold the parts together. When the 5 shafts are raised to a vertical position the flat portion or sides of the elongated portion of the boss B will come above the flange F, so

thattheshafts and theirpermanentconnections I may be readily removed by a slight lateral movement.

The slot at in the ear D of the clip and the lug 6 upon the locking-bolt E are so arranged relatively to each other and to the shafts that when the shafts are raised to a vertical position the locking-bolt may be readily attached or released from the ear D of the clip.

By means of theimproved shackle the shafts may be readily coupled to or uncoupled from the axle without the aid of shackle-jacks and levers, which are expensive, inconvenient, and disfignre the surfaces of the parts with which they come in contact by scratching and rubbing the paint.

I do not claim, broadly, a lateral flange for holding the thill iron in proper working position and preventing lateral strain on its bolt or pintle; nor do I claim an elastic block for cushioning the parts which work in contact. I also disclaim a metal face for an elastic block; but I have so combined these devices or elements as to produce a coupling which is superior in the points or qualities before specified.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- 1. The improved thill-coupling formed of the clip 1), having the slotted ear D and the parallel flange F, the thill-iron A, having the elliptical portion 13, provided with lateral bolt E and its radial lug 0, and the elastic or cushion blocks E and H, all said parts being constructed and arranged as shown and described, to operate as specified.

2. In a thill-coupling, the combination, with the thill-iron and the clip having earD, flange F, and the intermediate recess, G, of the cushion-block H, having ears h, and the metal faceplate I, having lips or claws, which are bent under said ears and thus hold the plate in place, all as shown and described. 

